1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a vehicle occupancy intruder alert system, and more specifically, to a two-way communication intruder alert system for detecting the intruder and taking precautionary actions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle security systems have been utilized for deterring the theft of a vehicle and vehicle contents. Many vehicle security systems utilize perimeter alarm systems and/or ignition immobilization devices to deter the theft of the vehicle. The vehicle alarm systems provide a loud alarm within the vicinity of the vehicle to potentially scare the intruder off, as well as alerting the operator or bystanders within a listening distance that the vehicle has been broken into or is potentially being stolen. Ignition immobilization devices prevent vehicle operation unless an appropriate electronic tag is detected.
While theft deterrent devices such as immobilization devices temporarily incapacitate the vehicle, the safety of an operator of a vehicle may still be at risk should the operator of the vehicle or any other passenger return to the vehicle while an intruder is still within the vehicle. Immobilization devices work to prevent the theft of the vehicle and not necessarily warn the operator that the vehicle has been entered or that the intruder may potentially still be inside the vehicle. Even with the use of the perimeter alarm systems designed to scare off the intruder, an experienced intruder may be able to bypass or quickly deactivate the alarm system. Once triggered, the alarm may sound for a certain length of time but then deactivates due to battery capacity and other concerns. Thereafter, the operator may have a false sense of security when approaching the vehicle that the vehicle is safe for entry being that the alarm system is inactive. With the vehicle alarm system deactivated, the operator would have no way of knowing that the vehicle has been broken into by the intruder or that the intruder is potentially still in the vehicle since there is no other warning broadcast from the vehicle to operator away from the vehicle. Vehicle anti-theft devices such as alarm systems or immobilization devices are only one-way communication devices, and if deactivated, provides no viable options to warn the operator of danger or to allow the operator to take other precautionary actions such as to re-activate the alarm or to seek other assistance.